Soldiers
by mountedcombat
Summary: Their mission is done. There's no space-faring vessels left for them to evacuate with, and even if there was there isn't anybody to cover them while they escape. They look at each other and nod. This is it. But damned if they won't take as many of those bastards with them as they can. Set in Halo: Reach. One-shot.


**Gasp! Something worthy of actually being a chapter!? Who am I and what have I done with the author you all know (and hopefully love)?!**

 **Well, this idea popped into my head and I actually was able to do something with it. Also, in case it's not obvious, I slightly modified game canon to accommodate the game being in co-op mode. Nothing big, just added a Noble 7 for player 2.**

 **I do not own Halo, Halo Reach, or pretty much anything else with the consecutive characters "H-A-L-O" in it.**

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Nobles 6 and 7 stand on a ruined structure, watching as banshees and phantoms fill the sky. Their mission is done. The package has been placed on The Pillar of Autumn, and everybody that they can evacuate has been evacuated. There's no space-faring vessels left for them to evacuate with, and even if there was there isn't anybody to cover them while they escape. They look at each other and nod.

This is it.

But damned if they won't take as many of those bastards with them as they can.

6 steps forward and grabs the handles on the machine gun nest at the edge of the structure while 7 scans the area with her DMR. Not a moment too soon, as covenant infantry start flooding the area.

6 opens fire.

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The sun has set, and the battlefield is only lit by moonlight. A squad of grunts, nervously keeping their pistols at full charge, wander through the ruins of the destroyed Human settlement. A Wraith wanders past, searching with them.

A high-pitched whine is all the warning the grunts get. A plasma grenade detonates right in the middle of the group, sending bodies flying. The tank turns to see what happened, only to begin shuddering as something starts hammering through the armor on the back and smashing the circuits. The gunner bails out, but the driver is still inside when the vehicle detonates. The gunner draws his energy sword and steps around the back of the former Wraith just in time to spot the Demon vanish into the night. But didn't reports say there were _two_ Demons?

A weight settles on his back, and a knife plunges into his neck.

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The sun rises over the scorched terrain. There are bodies everywhere, and emptied weapons coat the terrain. Here and there you can see the destroyed husks of Wraiths, Phantoms, Ghosts, Banshees, and even a few Spirits.

A heavily-damaged Scorpion MBT recovered from one of the abandoned bases dotting the surface of the planet flies across the terrain, firing at everything that enters its line of sight with pinpoint accuracy. It soars over a hill, only to discover a group of three Wraiths waiting for it. It swerves right, dodging the Wraith's mortars and firing its last three canisters into their gunners. 6 leaps out of the gunner's seat and sprints towards the Wraiths while 7 draws their fire off to the side. It's not until 6 has leapt onto the first Wraith and punched through the plating to knock the driver out that they notice him and shift their aim. 6 takes cover behind the inoperative Wraith and waits for 7 to make her move.

He doesn't have to wait long.

The Scorpion smashes full-speed into the back of one of the Wraiths, crushing the mortar mount. The gun falls off as the pilots of both now more-or-less useless vehicles climb out. The Elite pulls out a pair of plasma rifles, then dives out of the way of the plasma grenade 7 throws. While the Elite is on the ground, 7 blasts it with a charged plasma pistol round then follows it up with a single shot into its head from a needle rifle.

While that is happening, 6 steps out from behind his makeshift cover and runs at the remaining fully-operational Wraith. It fires its thrusters to try and run him over, but he skids to a halt and leaps backwards, latching onto the hull. He tosses a plasma grenade into the driver's compartment and dives off, leaving the Wraith to explode behind him.

After a quick check of their surroundings, 6 and 7 sit back against the single still-mostly-intact Wraith. 6 speaks up. "We can't keep this up forever. We need somewhere to rest with a semblance of safety."

"I know."

The two sit in silence for a few moments, relaxing their overused muscles.

A Covenant supercarrier appears over the horizon, coming their way.

They leap into the tank 7 had rammed, which luckily still had its engines and thrusters working. The fact that the turret had been knocked off was even better, because they needed to move _fast_. They set off on a course perpendicular to the supercarrier's. A pair of Banshees fly over them, most likely feeding targeting data to the supercarrier. 6 grins. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

7 calls out "Switch!" and they change seats, 6 driving while 7 sits in the gunner's seat. She pulls out her plasma pistol, aims, and EMPs one of the banshees. She leaps out of the Wraith and grabs its wings as the engine restarts, then forces open the cockpit and kicks out the pilot as it ascends back into the air. Before the Banshee can begin to fall, she's slid behind the controls and closed the cockpit again. The other Banshee, seeing this happen, turns to shoot her down.

This is exactly what she was hoping for.

She starts a backflip, then opens the cockpit and drops out while the Banshee is upside-down. She catches the second banshee as it flies past where she had been a moment ago and repeats the process she'd gone through for the first one while 6 climbs out of the Wraith and gets in the now-deserted Banshee. The two of them continue in their previous direction, going much faster now that they have flight. The carrier turns, tracking them. They won't escape it. So they do what they've been doing.

They fight the absurdly poor odds.

The Banshees turn towards the carrier and start climbing. A few minutes later, the carrier seems to realize the danger and begins launching everything it has that can fly. Even Spirits are heading their way. But they won't let that stop them. They bob and weave through the Covenant squadrons, adroitly evading incoming fire while shooting down ship after ship.

A Banshee bomb slams into 6's Banshee, leaving it on the brink of destruction. A Phantom pulls up in front of him, side gunner and turret ready to finish the job. He jets towards them and bails out, letting the burning wreckage block their vision while he jetpacks into the opening, punching the gunner away from the turret before ripping it off of its mounting and blasting both gunners. Then he turns it on the engine and shoots until he hears the ship start to shut down. Finally, he leaps out the other side of the Phantom, grabbing 7's Banshee as it passes by.

7 rolls the Banshee, flinging 6 at another Banshee coming in to shoot her down. 6 uses his jetpack to slow down, catching one of the guns as the Banshee tries to pull up in a desperate attempt to evade him. He proceeds to jack the Banshee.

At this point the two of them finish working their way through the fleet and exit the swarm, coming back within view of the carrier. They dive towards the docking bays, aiming the Banshees at the closed blast door and firing a pair of bombs before bailing out and leaving the Banshees to ram the door. 6 grabs 7 and activates his jetpack, slowing their fall. The blasts impact the door, not seeming to do much damage. Then the first Banshee hits, crumpling as it leaves a sizeable dent. Then the second Banshee hits, punching a hole in the door. 6 just catches the edge of the new opening before hauling 7 up so she can grab on. They pause to catch their breath and steady their grip before nodding at each other.

As one, they swing themselves up into the hole and dive through, firing at the various grunts and jackals in the bay. One of the doors opens, an elite with an energy sword charging through. 7 goes to blast its shields down with her plasma pistol, but it clicks empty. She throws the useless gun at the Elite, knocking it off balance just before a storm of small explosions throws it back into the wall.

6 lowers his concussion rifle, and the Spartans run through the door towards the command center. Like a plague of death, they sweep through the ship, slaughtering all in their way as they inexorably make their way towards the command center. Finally, they burst into the room. All of the elites and grunts manning the stations are unarmed and looking towards the door, obviously expecting them. The Spartans look at the bright warning symbols and readouts on the various consoles within sight. A few moments later, they figure out what's happening.

They give the Covenant shipmaster a nod of respect.

For once, it would be the Spartans getting a taste of their own medicine.

The ship's slipspace reactor goes critical, annihilating the ship and everything on it.


End file.
